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Is Your Cell Phone Case Blocking Signals and Messing With Reception?

Written by: Clyde S.

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Time to read min

Like Smartphone technology, cell phone cases and covers make life easier by protecting our device from accidental damage.

It’s because of cell phone cases that users don’t worry about water / coffee spill damage. They don’t worry about sitting on their device and cracking its screen; or dropping the phone from a considerable height only to pick up the pieces.

Your phone casing is a life saver! But is it impeding reception?

A Blessing or A Curse?

Phone cases typically don’t interfere with phone signal. However, cases with metal or magnetic clips might harm the quality of phone signal.  

What Is The Working Theory Behind This Idea?

Depending on the design of the phone case, any item can potentially mess with reception if the internal cell antenna is blocked by the material.

However, most cases (including leather and plastic) aren’t capable of absorbing any amount of reception. Phone cases featuring metal implements can block or interfere with radio waves, which in turn affects signal quality. Following are additional top 5 reasons why we sometimes don’t receive strong cell signals.  One or two are surprising, to say the least.  

 

  • Local terrain
  • Distance from cell tower
  • Moving or standing vehicles
  • Vegetation in the area
  • Man-made obstructions
  • Atmospheric conditions

How to Test If Cell Phone Case Is Messing With the Reception?

no signal

While a pretty rare occurrence, some phone cases do block signals or affect their quality. Going to another room or even outside, while talking on your phone can improve signal quality.

However, this doesn’t always happen. In this case, you can restart or reboot your phone. 

How to Do This:

Take off the case. Now try your phone in several different situations, constantly checking the quality of phone signals. Make a phone call in all the normal settings you use the phone at, i.e. home and work. Turn your phone off for a few minutes; then turn the device back on.

Received a much improved phone signal? Your case is at fault.

You can also check these articles:

Check out these cases which have no affect in phone signal

Comments

I had a case with magnets to keep it together and my WiFi signal dropped but as soon as I took my case of it jumped stright back up so , check your case before changing any settings on your phone .

Lee Hudden-stabler

The article is very useful for me
Mobile Case Covers

printlandokhla

I can say this is true. I bought a $16 heavy-duty case and due to it being made with aluminum it cuts my signal out real bad. I took the case off and my signal comes back with no issue. It did upset me because I paid so much for the case. But now that I know what it does I am just going to stick with the otterbox type cases.

Brittnie Hawk

My son got a nice “Metal” case for my i phone. At work only I get no service, I have bad connection to the internet. All my co workers get bad to no reception on their phones . Any suggestions? or ideas?

Scott

Yeah love the feel n the heaviness of the Aluminum cases…but if it degredates the signal what good is it…

Vince
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